Is it art? Is it furniture? Is there a distinction? These are questions designer Brian Thoreen answers in his provocative work, which ranges from curved glass tables, weighed down by cast bronze blocks, to blown glass “melted” over angular handcrafted metalwork. Sometimes his designs are obviously quite functional and categorical, other times artistic merit outweighs function. Either way, his works highlight and draw on the power inherent in his chosen materials, and Thoreen thrives in the spaces in between.
Thoreen had explored a range of disciplines and mediums before committing to furniture design. He filled his 20s with experimentation with painting, fabrication, building, welding, architecture and fashion — but he always came back to making furniture. Thoreen studied painting in community college, though much of his talent in design is a culmination of experience he amassed through jobs along the way. He worked as an art installer at Kayne Griffin Gallery, a carpenter at Southern California architecture firm Marmol Radziner and also founded his own gallery MASA and experimental glassmaking collective, VISSIO.
While Thoreen has found a renewed vigor since relocating to Mexico in 2017, the 1960s and '70s Los Angeles art scene informs much of his work. Thoreen learned firsthand from many artists of the era including James Turrell, Ed Ruscha, Larry Bell and Robert Irwin. These visual artists, who were associated with the period's Light and Space movement, explored light in relation to geometric abstraction and minimalism, which resurface as themes in Thoreen’s furniture.
Thoreen’s Cantilever tables and Reaching Console in his sculptural Unsettled collection, which was exhibited at Patrick Parrish’s gallery in New York City in 2017, feature a sublime marriage of marble, smoked glass and cast bronze, and the components are not held together by the typical hardware associated with these kinds of structures — none of the pieces use fasteners of any kind.
With his prioritization of minimalism and the honesty of the materials, Thoreen endeavored to ensure that his pieces wouldn’t need any fasteners secured by screws to stand on their own, relying instead on what he knew about mass and space (a set of bronze counterweights is doing the heavy lifting on the collection's Console). As such, like each of the designer’s works, they’re striking statement pieces in any space — “unsettled” or not.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of Brian Thoreen decorative objects, storage case pieces and lighting.
$5,162 / item
Tacchini Vertical Nest Light by Brian Thoreen
By Brian Thoreen
Located in New York, NY
Soft folds become luminous sculptures that seem to grow naturally. The light diffuses calmly, and blurs perceptions and contours creating an atmosphere of peace and seductive mystery...
Plastic
Brian Thoreen Green Mixed Marble and Brass Coffee Table
By Brian Thoreen
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Geometric coffee table in mixed marble, brass, steel and wood by LA-based designer Brian Thoreen. This version, in green marble, was designed exclusively for Design Miami 2015. Other...
Marble, Brass, Steel
$2,506 / item
2 Bars 1 Glass Big Decorative Center Piece Vessel
By Brian Thoreen, Emiliano Godoy, Héctor Esrawe
Located in Mexico City, MX
Vissio is delighted to announce the launch of 2B1G, a new series of limited-edition works produced in collaboration by: Héctor Esrawe, Emiliano Godoy, and Brian Thoreen. 2B1G (2 ...
Steel
$6,900
Burnout 4
By Héctor Esrawe, Emiliano Godoy, Brian Thoreen
Located in Mexico City, MX
Burnout sculptural vessels by Héctor Esrawe, Emiliano Godoy, and Brian Thoreen, are a formal study of entropy as expressed through sequential degradation of a wood mold by the glass ...
Glass
$3,618 / item
Black Tomatoe Decorative Center Piece Vessel
By Brian Thoreen, Emiliano Godoy, Héctor Esrawe
Located in Mexico City, MX
Announcing Tomato, a limited-edition design work by: Héctor Esrawe, Emiliano Godoy, and Brian Thoreen for Vissio. Each Tomato is individually blown by a team of Nouvel Studio artisans so that no two are ever exactly alike. The four-person team required to make the Tomatoes begins by blowing a large bubble with molten glass...
Glass
Burnout 4 Hand Blown Glass Decorative Vase
By Héctor Esrawe, Emiliano Godoy, Brian Thoreen
Located in Mexico City, MX
Burnout sculptural vessels by Héctor Esrawe, Emiliano Godoy, and Brian Thoreen, are a formal study of entropy as expressed through sequential degradation of a wood mold by the glass ...
Glass
$2,139 / item
2 Bars 1 Glass Small Decorative Center Piece Vessel
By Brian Thoreen, Emiliano Godoy, Héctor Esrawe
Located in Mexico City, MX
Vissio is delighted to announce the launch of 2B1G, a new series of limited-edition works produced in collaboration by: Héctor Esrawe, Emiliano Godoy, and Brian Thoreen. 2B1G (2 ...
Steel
$2,384 / item
2 Bars 1 Glass Medium Decorative Center Piece Vessel
By Brian Thoreen, Emiliano Godoy, Héctor Esrawe
Located in Mexico City, MX
Vissio is delighted to announce the launch of 2B1G, a new series of limited-edition works produced in collaboration by: Héctor Esrawe, Emiliano Godoy, and Brian Thoreen. 2B1G (2 ...
Steel
Price Upon Request
Glass and Bronze Standing Mirror by Brian Thoreen
By Brian Thoreen
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Standing mirror made of mirrored bronze glass and cast bronze by Los Angeles based designer Brian Thoreen. Edition of 8 + II AP. Custom available.
Bronze
Price Upon Request
Brian Thoreen Block Table
By Brian Thoreen
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Side table by Los Angeles based designer Brian Thoreen. Made of curved grey glass and weighted upright by a cast bronze block. Also available in bronze glass. Edition of 8 + II AP.
Bronze
Price Upon Request
Brian Thoreen Vessel 2
By Brian Thoreen
Located in Brooklyn, NY
One of three vessels developed as the material maquette's for Brian Thoreen's larger works. Comprised of a cast bronze bowl, grey marble and grey glass. Also available in brown or re...
Marble, Bronze
Price Upon Request
Brian Thoreen Vessel 3
By Brian Thoreen
Located in Brooklyn, NY
One of three vessels developed as the material maquette's for Brian Thoreen's larger works. Comprised of a cast bronze vessel, red marble and grey g...
Marble, Bronze
Price Upon Request
Brian Thoreen Vessel 1
By Brian Thoreen
Located in Brooklyn, NY
One of three vessels developed as the material maquette's for Brian Thoreen's larger works. Comprised of a cast bronze bowl, red marble top and bronze glass base. The height of a sma...
Marble, Bronze
Price Upon Request
Brian Thoreen Cantilever Tables
By Brian Thoreen
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Cantilever tables by Los Angeles based designer Brian Thoreen. Made of marble, bronze glass, cast bronze. Custom material combinations available - inc...
Marble, Bronze
Price Upon Request
Shift Coffee Table by Brian Thoreen
By Brian Thoreen
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Shift coffee table by Los Angeles based designer Brian Thoreen. Made of brown marble and bronze glass. Custom material combinations available, including grey glass and red and grey m...
Marble
Price Upon Request
"Reaching Console" by Brian Thoreen
By Brian Thoreen
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Smoked glass and brass console table comprised of two separate tables reaching towards each other by Los Angeles designer Brian Thoreen. Cantilevered by a brass column, the glass ele...
Brass
Price Upon Request
Brian Thoreen Black Rubber Credenza / Sideboard
By Brian Thoreen
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Beautiful black rubber and brass credenza with an aniline dyed wood interior by Brian Thoreen. Made to order in Los Angeles with a lead time of 10-12 weeks. Please inquire for custo...
Brass
Price Upon Request
Brian Thoreen Bronze Growth Side Table
By Brian Thoreen
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Cast bronze and brass table by LA-based designer Brian Thoreen. Custom sizes and finishes are available.
Brass, Bronze
Price Upon Request
Brian Thoreen Modernist Brass Dining Table
By Brian Thoreen
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Amazing solid brass and steel dining table by LA-based designer Brian Thoreen. Custom sizes and finishes are available.
Brass, Steel
Price Upon Request
Large Brian Thoreen Rubber and Brass Credenza or Sideboard
By Brian Thoreen
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Beautiful rubber and brass credenza with an aniline dyed wood interior by Brian Thoreen. Made to order in Los Angeles with a lead time of 10-12 weeks. Please inquire for custom sizi...
Brass
Price Upon Request
Brian Thoreen Black Mixed Marble and Brass Coffee Table
By Brian Thoreen
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Geometric coffee table in mixed marble, brass, steel and wood by LA-based designer Brian Thoreen. This black version is an open edition. The green version is an edition of 8 + 2 AP t...
Marble, Brass, Steel
Vintage Fused Glass Footed Vase, Hand Blown Art Glass
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Sculptural vintage vase is decorated with free-flowing fused red and yellow glass designs on mottled pink glass background; colored glass encases clear glass core, with clear glass ...
Art Glass, Blown Glass
$7,600Sale Price|20% Off
H 19 in W 10 in D 11 in
Mounted Sculpture Bust in Bronze on Base Bibelot Decorative Object Center piece
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Mounted Sculpture Bust in Bronze on Base Bibelot Decorative Object Center piece. Excellent color and details decorative hand finished On a Desk as garniture on a mantle fireplace, on...
Bronze
$1,016Sale Price|20% Off
H 16.54 in W 35.44 in D 17.72 in
Vintage Brass and Marble Coffee Table, Italy 1950s
Located in Catania, CT
Good vintage condition for this brass and marble coffee or side table produced in Italy during the 1950s. Normal trace of age and use but a crack on the upper part of the brass struc...
Marble, Brass
Pace Collection Verde Green Marble and Brass Coffee Table, 1970
By Leon Rosen, Pace Collection
Located in Chicago, IL
Pace Collection Verde green marble and brass coffee table by Leon Rosen, 1970.
Marble, Brass
Anzolo Fuga Hand Blown Glass "Pavone" Vase, 1950s
By Arte Vetraria Muranese (AVEM), Anzolo Fuga
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Hand blown glass “Pavone” vase with colorful rod and murrhine by Anzolo Fuga for Arte Vetraria Muranese (A.V.E.M.), Murano, Italy, 1950s. Reference: Rosa Barovier-Mentasti, Anzolo Fuga, Murano Glass...
Murano Glass
Famed Brass and Marble Coffee Table
By LAGU
Located in İSTANBUL, TR
Famed coffee table, glorified by elegant brass legs, prove that every place can wink at its style with its natural marble and wood options. The designs that instantly add modernity t...
Marble, Brass
Vintage French Brass and Marble Coffee Table
Located in London, GB
A stunning vintage French brass and marble coffee table, dating from the 1960’s. This is of outstanding quality, the solid brass frame has a beautiful design and it is a very useful...
Marble, Brass
RETNA SMALL Eye Multicolor Decorative Cast Glass Piece
By Orfeo Quagliata
Located in Naucalpan, Edo de Mex
Born from a collision of ideologies, blending the traditional and the contemporary, with technical and artisanal methods. Under our commitment to offer the w...
Glass
Mid Century Italian Marble and Brass Coffee Table
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Mid Century Italian Marble and Brass Coffee Table This coffee table measures: 29 wide x 29 deep x 17.25 inches high Excellent Condition. We take our photos in a controlled lightin...
Marble, Brass
Tacchini Gunta Floor Lamp by Studiopepe in STOCK
By Studiopepe, Tacchini
Located in New York, NY
The lamp has a European plug, so it won’t work in a standard US outlet. An ethereal and floating sculpture that transforms matter into a design tool. A warm and suffused glow that d...
Resin
Mid Century Modern Decorative Hanging Glass Beads Decorative
Located in Chula Vista, CA
For your consideration a set of vintage glass beads in amber color. Old stock never used. Unmarked. Dimensions: 2" Tall x 1 3/8" in diameter. Please visit take a look at our listin...
Glass
Grey Agate Onyx Decorative Object or Display Piece
Located in New York, NY
A substantial polished natural agate/geode/onyx decorative object in shades of grey and white. Piece can be used as a decorative piece for a shelf, table, desk, etc., or as a display...
Onyx, Quartz, Agate